Dr. Mac: Apple's iPad mini wasn't a surprise, but new Mac storage was

Published 10:05 pm, Monday, October 29, 2012

The new iMacs offer Fusion Drive, a hybrid of solid state and hard drive.

The new iMacs offer Fusion Drive, a hybrid of solid state and hard drive.

Photo: Kevork Djansezian, Staff

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The new iMacs offer Fusion Drive, a hybrid of solid state and hard drive.

The new iMacs offer Fusion Drive, a hybrid of solid state and hard drive.

Photo: Kevork Djansezian, Staff

Dr. Mac: Apple's iPad mini wasn't a surprise, but new Mac storage was

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A couple of weeks ago I received an invitation from Apple to a California event that took place last Tuesday.

The invitation said, "We've got a little more to show you," which I interpreted as, "We've got a little iPad to show you."

Apple did in fact introduce the iPad mini, the least expensive iPad yet, starting at $329.

While that announcement was expected, most people were surprised when Apple also introduced a slimmed-down 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display, a new lineup of ultrathin iMacs and new options for the already diminutive Mac mini.

Of course I expected to see new iMacs, MacBook Pros and Mac minis at some point; I just didn't expect it last Tuesday. But in hindsight it makes sense; most of the products announced are smaller than their predecessors.

The biggest surprise was when I realized that the new iMacs and Mac minis offer a brand new storage option called Fusion Drive, a hybrid drive that combines the performance of a 128GB solid-state disk with the capacity of a 1 or 3TB hard drive in a single volume that intelligently optimizes its performance as you work.

This drive is very welcome. Last May I raved about Seagate's Momentus XT, a solid-state hybrid that combines an 8GB solid state disk, a 750GB hard disk, and intelligent technology so they work together seamlessly. I loved it. In every test, it was nearly twice as fast as the stock Apple 500GB hard disk it replaced. And apps launched so fast with the Momentus XT that I couldn't get accurate timings with a stopwatch.

The Momentus XT behaves like any other hard disk but is two or more times faster and a lot cheaper than a 500GB solid-state drive. I recommended it and still love having it in my MacBook Pro.

Last May I thought solid-state hybrid drives such as the Momentus XT would be the next big thing in storage, and Apple's introduction of the Fusion Drive proves it. I'm getting one in my next Mac and if you're smart, you will too.

Bob "Dr. Mac" LeVitus is a leading authority on Mac OS X, the author of more than 65 books including "iPhone for Dummies," and a Mac consultant, troubleshooter and trainer. Visit his website at www.boblevitus.com; e-mail comments to doc@boblevitus.com.